Mike Skelton's hopes of caddying for Emma Duggleby in the Curtis Cup have been dashed.

When former European champion Duggleby was named in the Great Britain and Ireland side to take on the USA next month, the 19-year-old Skelton reckoned he would return the favour shown by the Malton and Norton player, who caddied for him in last year's Walker Cup triumph at Ganton.

"I said to her `I'll caddy for you just like you did for me'," said the 19-year-old Middlesbrough golfer. "I thought the women's season was just like ours with the match at the end of the year, but it's next month and it clashes with the Welsh Strokeplay which I won last year and feel duty-bound to defend.

"It's a shame, I would have loved to have carried the bag for Emma. It would have been fun and given me a different perspective on things."

Skelton, meanwhile, travels across to Lancashire today to prepare for this weekend's Brabazon Trophy at West Lancs.

Skelton is one of three members of the victorious 2003 Walker Cup team bidding for the Brabazon - the English Strokeplay title - while Gary Lockerbie, from Penrith, will be aiming to make it a double as he is the current English Amateur Champion.

Lockerbie, 21, and Skelton were in the winning England team against France at Sandwich last weekend.

Former Durham County Champion Richard Walker is a former winner of the Brabazon at Birkdale in 2002 and he would love to win it again.

But he faces stiff competition as there are 19 members of the 2005 Walker Cup squad playing plus Skelton's teammates from the winning side last year at Ganton, Nigel Edwards and Gary Wolstenholme.

With title holder Jonathan Lupton (Middlesbrough) having turned professional, it is difficult to pick who might succeed him but Skelton must have a better than average chance even though he admits his game is not yet at the top level.

"I'm a slow starter and I never worry at this stage of the season," he said. "I didn't play great at Lytham but I did make the cut and if I can make the cut while not playing great then I must be doing something right."

Meanwhile, Duggleby is raring to get to grips with the USA in the Curtis Cup and if that means playing Michelle Wie, the 14-year-old prodigy from Hawaii, then so be it.

This year, Wie played a US men's tour event and nearly made the cut.

Wie is in the American team for Formby on June 12-13 and current English title-holder Duggleby is relishing the prospect of her third Curtis Cup. She said: "I have absolutely nothing to be frightened of if I happen to play her. Every member of our team would love the chance to claim her scalp.

"Michelle is going to find a links course like Formby a lot different to the lush courses she is used to in America. I respect everything she has achieved, but the fact is she is going to be under enormous pressure.

"The Curtis Cup people say they have been inundated with requests for media passes from TV stations and newspapers. Because of Michelle Wie, this is going to be the most publicised women's golf tournament ever.

"The other Americans, who are all good players in their own right, are going to be looking at every newspaper and TV screen and knowing there is one Michelle Wie and seven of the rest of them. But we're going to be a team of eight. And we want that trophy."

If Great Britain and Ireland do win it, it will be a real first because it will mean that the Ryder Cup, Walker Cup and Curtis Cup will all be in our possession at the same time - and that's never happened before.